Local jurisdictions approved the light rail's route, terminus and station locations by adopting a Locally Preferred Alternative in July 2008. TriMet leads the project through construction, working closely with property owners, businesses and neighborhoods.

Metro led the planning process for the project through publication of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and the Federal Transit Administration's issuance of the Record of Decision.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement, published October 2010, presents information about the light rail project's impacts, both adverse and beneficial. Based on more engineering detail, the Final EIS advances the analysis published in the Supplemental Draft EIS. Where significant impacts have been identified, the Final EIS establishes commitments that reduce them. It also responds to the public comments received during the Supplemental Draft EIS public comment period.

The Final EIS establishes mitigation for significant impacts due to the project, which is confirmed and approved by the Record of Decision.

The Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, published May 2008, examines a proposal to develop light rail transit in the final segment of the South Corridor project connecting downtown Portland, the City of Milwaukie and north Clackamas County.

The South/North Corridor study

The South Corridor project began as part of the South/North Corridor study. After voters did not reaffirm funding for the South/North light rail project in November 1998, elected officials conducted a series of “listening posts” throughout the region to find out how community members thought transportation needs in the South/North Corridor should be addressed. The feedback led policy makers to advance a light rail project in the northern portion of the corridor and to begin a study of non-light rail options in the southern portion of the corridor.

The South Corridor study

In 1999, the South Corridor study began to evaluate a wide range of transportation options including river transit, high occupancy vehicle lanes, high occupancy toll lanes, busway, bus rapid transit and commuter rail. After extensive public input and technical evaluation, busway and bus rapid transit options were selected to move forward for more detailed analysis. Southeast Portland and Milwaukie neighborhood leaders continued to ask that light rail be included in the study. In the spring 2001, the policy committee responded to community requests and added light rail between Milwaukie and Portland and between Gateway and Clackamas to the study.

South Corridor Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The South Corridor Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) compared five transit alternatives with a no-build alternative. The transit alternatives included bus rapid transit, busway and light rail routes. In April 2003, after a 61-day public comment period, the Metro Council recommended the two-phase locally preferred alternative with a preliminary recommendation to construct light rail on the Portland Mall during the first phase.

During the summer 2003, staff prepared an amendment to the SDEIS for the downtown portion of the project. The Downtown Portland Amendment to the SDEIS compared light rail on the Portland Mall to a no-build alternative. After a 45-day public comment period, the Metro Council confirmed the South Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative with the first project phase including new light rail from Gateway to the Clackamas Town Center and in downtown Portland.

Locally Preferred Alternative

The two-phase plan calls first for construction of light rail from the Gateway district to the Clackamas Town Center, as well as extensions along Southwest Fifth and Sixth avenues in downtown Portland. The second phase would connect Milwaukie and Southeast Portland to the system in downtown Portland.

Phase I: I-205 Light Rail Project

Clackamas Town Center transit center located east of the mall with a park-and-ride garage

alignment on the Portland Mall (Southwest Fifth and Sixth avenues) between the Steel Bridge and Portland State University in downtown Portland

during phase I, relocate the existing Milwaukie transit center once design and environmental issues are resolved

Phase II: Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project

terminus at Lake Road in Milwaukie

station, but no bus transfer facility, at the Portland Waldorf School in Milwaukie

Southgate crossover design option in the North Milwaukie industrial area

17th Avenue design option in the Brooklyn neighborhood

Caruthers Bridge over the Willamette River from just south of OMSI to Southwest River Parkway

connection from the Caruthers Bridge to the Portland transit mall on Southwest Lincoln Street

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